Readers Respond: Best Tips for Speeding Up Play

What is the best tip you would give to newcomers to golf about pace of play? What do's and don'ts would you share with newbies about pace of place? Let's hear your best tip(s) for speeding up play. Share Your Tip

annoyed

Please play the ball you hit off the tee, unless completly lost. It annoys me when a golf partner wants to re-shoot rather than play a ball that's reasonably playable. I'm often delighted with my second shot in those circumstances.

—Guest PIP

It's not all about you

The turtle in your group needs to not only be aware that it's bad etiquette to hold up the group behind, but it affects the players in your group, as well. Messes up their rhythm. It's not all about you and your game!

—Guest Chipmaster

Just hit it

It should not take more than 10 seconds to pull the trigger from the time you arrive at your ball. If you take an extra 10 seconds on every shot and you shoot say 90 that's 900 seconds or roughly 15 minutes. And you are only one player in your group. Also, put your putter and your driver back in your bag while you are walking or when you pull the next club when you are riding.

—Guest Ramblinguy

A Summary

Some "rules" our seniors group uses: 1: Max score is double par: pick it up after that. 2: Max of three putts, during aeration season, max of two putts. 3: Follow flag etiquette, closest to pin tends the flag, first in collects the flag and surveys green area for clubs. 4: Write score at the tee, not at the green. 5: Drop off short players at their ball, drive to next ball and let first hitter walk up to next position. 6: Play from the correct tees! Shorter is better, faster and more fun. 7: When doing pairings, try to avoid getting all the high handicappers in the same group. No disrespect intended, just the reality of how long it takes to get through a hole. 8: No ball-hawking when the course is busy! 9. On the tee, let the short hitters go first while the group ahead clears. 10. When stuck behind slow group(s), COMPLAIN! Toleration of slow play only encourages it. Use that cell phone to all the pro shop and ask for a Ranger to speed things up! GOOD LUCK.

—Guest Golfer Bob

Putt out

If your group is having a problem keeping up with the group in front, putt out instead of marking your ball unless you will step on someone's line.

—Guest Al

Finish before Dark

Play as though there is only ten to fifteen minutes before dark and you're on the last hole.

—Guest Fiore

pick up

Keep up with the group you're playing with. If your skill level isn't up to snuff with the level of others playing in your group it gets frustrating to watch while waiting to tee off as someone who continually mishits their ball compounds the issue by taking excessive extra practice swings over the readdressed ball on follow up shots. The ball goes another 50 feet and the process starts over again. If you're not playing well kindly pick up your ball if continuing to mishit, and move along with your group. I think most golfers are reasonably tolerant with folks, newbie or otherwise, who don't play well. In terms of respect that cuts both ways.

—Guest mrg

Ready Golf

Agree on the first tee that whoever is ready to hit their shot says so and hits. Only when two people are ready together should the one further from the hole hit first. If a group is falling behind the group ahead, the player who putts out first should proceed to the next tee and hit.

—ColinMacGillivray

The Commish

In our weekly tournament, I assign each foursome a time they are expected to finish. That time is usually 15 minutes less than the recommended playing time listed on the scorecard. With this goal in mind, it seems to motivate. After the round, we playfully chastise any group who doesn't make their time.

—Guest Denis

On the green

Guest Harold mentioned that the first player to putt out should retrieve the flag and prepare to replace it. In addition, the player closest to the pin should be the one to pull it; he/she won't be putting for a while yet, and those further away can be lining up their putts.

—Guest Tom Killeen

slow play

Course managers - stop overloading the courses. Think about the golfers and not just the almighty dollar.

—Guest gary stein

Be considerate, it's not a race

I am out there to play golf and have some fun with people. To me it is not a race to the finish -- I rush around all week. As a new golfer, I believe if I finish a round in 4 hours this is not slow play - despite what the longer hitting, lower handicapped group behind me thinks. When given the opportunity I would always call the group behind through. New golfers or older golfers need to be given the chance to play their game to the best of their ability (within both the physical and competency context) without being rushed or criticised by lower handicap players who should take a nanosecond out of their game to remember that once they were new at this game too.

—Guest SO'C

guys that take their wives!!!

GUYS!!!!!!! please stop taking your wives and girlfriends to the course who have never hit a golf ball. they should be at the range learning the game, not hacking away on the course and slowing everybody down.

—Guest stugots

Hitting near the cartpath

This tip was offered by an elderly player I met at the course - he used to always hit in the line between the fairway and the cart path. It was a good insight on trying to minimize the time to drive the cart upto the ball, hit it and starting off to the next shot. Minimizes a lot of time!!!!

—Guest Giri

Tips for fighting slow play

Stay Just behind those in front, not just ahead of those behind.

—Guest Tony